Resistant Reading

In discussions of fanworks, "resistant reading" is a term often used to describe deliberately interpreting canon in ways that are counter to author's (stated or implied) intent. For instance, arguing that the Slytherins are the true heroes of the Harry Potter books or that Susan in the Narnia books is treated unfairly by Aslan may be described as resistant readings.

One proposed theory of slash is that it is a form of resistant reading (or queering the text) that resists the historical tendency of canon to focus on presumptively heterosexual white men by allowing members of other groups to add themselves and their experiences to the text by proxy. Slash may also be described as resistant reading simply in the sense that characters an author intends to portray as heterosexual are often interpreted as bisexual or gay by fans, not because they are unaware of the author's intent, but because they choose to disregard it.